CompTIA · practitioner

CompTIA CySA+ (CS0-003)

CySA+ is CompTIA's analyst-level blue-team certification, focused on threat detection, behavioural analytics, incident response, and security operations. It sits one rung above Security+ and is widely accepted by DoD 8570 / 8140 employers as a baseline for SOC and detection roles.

// exam format
85 questions · multiple choice + performance-based · 165 minutes · passing score 750/900
// cost
≈ £300
// prerequisites
  • Security+ recommended
  • Network+ recommended
  • 2+ years IT security experience
## Who it's for\n\nCySA+ targets practising SOC analysts, threat hunters, and security operations engineers with 1–3 years of hands-on experience. It's a strong follow-up to Security+ and a credible alternative to vendor-specific blue-team certs.\n\n## What it covers\n\n- Security operations and monitoring\n- Vulnerability management lifecycle\n- Incident response and forensics fundamentals\n- Reporting, communication, and compliance\n\n## How CyberActive AI helps\n\nUse the **SOC Analyst** and **Detection Engineer** learning paths together with **Mock Interviews** scoped to blue-team scenarios. Pair with the SOC and Incident Response interview question sets to rehearse the scenario-style questions hiring teams ask alongside CySA+ on a CV.

Frequently asked questions

Is CySA+ harder than Security+?›

Yes — it assumes Security+ knowledge and tests applied analyst skills, including performance-based questions on log analysis, vulnerability triage, and incident handling.

Does CySA+ replace vendor SOC certs?›

It complements them. CySA+ proves baseline analyst competence; vendor certs (Splunk, Microsoft SC-200, Elastic) prove tooling-specific skills.

How long should I study?›

Most candidates with Security+ and SOC exposure pass after 6–10 weeks of focused study plus hands-on lab time.

Practice CompTIA CySA+ (CS0-003) interview questions

Run AI-graded mock interviews keyed to the CompTIA CySA+ (CS0-003) body of knowledge.

Start free
// related
soc-l1soc-l2detection-engineerincident-responsethreat-intelframework · NIST CSFframework · MITRE ATT&CK